Local-Regional News April 14

The votes in last weeks spring election were counted yesterday. Bill Yingst defeated Donna Juleff to be re-elected to the Durand-Arkansaw School Board. In Mondovi, Tyler Moy and Brandon Bee were both elected to the Mondovi School board and in Elk Mound, Patrick Rhude, Mark Cedarblade and Michael Jenson Jr were elected to the Elk Mound School Board. In Plum City, Lisa Delong was elected to the school board over Katie George. Voters also approved the $48 million dollar referendum for CVTC by a 62-38% margin.

There were a few contested races for the Buffalo County Board yesterday. In District 3, Steve Nelson defeated Lou Ann Roby while John Sendelbach won over Jeanne Franz. In the Town of Nelson, Kevin Theismann was elected Village Trustee over Michael McNallen, meanwhile for Plum City Village Trustee, Peggy Gilles defeated Kent Gilles by one vote.

Advent Health of Durand now has a drive through testing station. Angela Jacobson of Advent Health says you can sign up online at Advent Health dot com.  The website will ask a series of questions to determine if you need a covid-19 test and if you do, it will give you a choice in scheduling a test.

The first batch of cheese curds for students of the Durand-Arkansaw School District were delivered Monday. Steve Bechel of Eau Galle Cheese says the amount of support shown by the community has been outstanding.  MH Smith Insurance, Prime Realty of Durand, Maxville Truck and Repair along with First Choice Dairy teamed up to donate 150lbs of cheese curds to the school district each week for the rest of the school year.

The Pepin County Tavern League has purchased 200 gallons of milk to distribute to area families in need. Charlene Dock, Secretary-Treasurer of the Tavern League says members wanted to help out the local dairy farmers during the covid-19 pandemic. The milk will be distributed on Friday at 3pm on Main Street between 3^rd and 4^th avenue west. All families in Durand and the surrounding communities are welcome to get some milk.

Governor Evers Safer-at-home order is scheduled to end on April 24^th. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says that while some things be lifted, the new normal is going to be different than it was before the pandemic.  Stewart says while there are indications that a peak may have been reached, there needs to be a lower number of new infections per day, and the virus is not going away anytime soon. Social distancing practices will still be needed to prevent another spike in the disease.

Eau Claire is one of the Wisconsin communities that set a record for snowfall on Easter Sunday.  The National Weather Service reports seven-point-three inches demolished the 58-year-old record for April 12th.  That was seven inches.  The all-time record for snowfall on an Easter Sunday five-and-a-half inches in 1929.

 Authorities in Barron County say a welfare check late last week led to gunshots and a standoff.  Fifty-five-year-old Thomas Levasseur of Woodville is being held in the county jail on a recommended charge of armed while intoxicated.  Teams from several agencies couldn’t get Levasseur to answer the phone, so an armored vehicle was used to make an approach.  Deputies say he eventually came out the front door with a gun in his hand.  After a brief negotiation, he put the gun down and was arrested.

To ensure that the Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Buffalo & Pepin Counties can maintain continuity of operations and the safety of everyone, access to the ADRC has been limited to “by appointment only”.  If community members have any needs, we ask that they please conduct business via phone, email, fax, or mail to the maximum extent possible. If you have a need to meet with a specific staff member or department, we ask that you please call ahead to make an appointment. All individuals entering the building will be subject to screening to protect the health and safety of all employees and visitors. ADRC contact number is: 1-866-578-2372. The ADRC also has a new facebook page which can be found by searching for ADRC of Buffalo & Pepin Counties. Click like and follow us for daily updates and information to local resources as well as our contact information.

The F-D-A is giving Minnesota-based HealthPartners a fast-track for testing of a drug aimed at combating the coronavirus.  The study will include up to 60 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Doctor Charles Bruen  says the hope is that the drug will be an effective way to prevent or help tamp down that severe inflammation, to help minimize the long-term lung damage that a patient may have.    Doctor Bruen says if effective, the drug could potentially reduce the need for a ventilator in some patients--and could even save lives.

While Wisconsin drivers have been staying at home, gas prices have been in free-fall.  Some drivers may be shocked the next time they check the pump price.  Triple-A Wisconsin reports the average price last week was a dollar-35 a gallon, 90 cents lower than last month.  Drivers in Madison are paying a dollar-33, while here in Western Wisconsin the average price is 1.29, while the price is one-11 in Appleton and one-19 in Green Bay.  The state’s highest average price is a dollar-76 in Superior.

 Veterans will be able to dial in to a toll-free telephone town hall meeting Tuesday afternoon for veterans.  Doctor Paul Lawrence, the under-secretary for benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs will be the host.  He is expected to tell vets about new and existing benefits which are available, like the Blue Water Navy Program.  Efforts to fight veterans’ suicides will also be discussed and vets who dial in will be able to ask questions.  The meeting will start at 4:00 p-m Tuesday, April 14th.
[Call-in number:  844-227-7557]

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he's "deeply concerned" that dozens of COVID-19 illnesses have shut down Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls.  That facility is a major processor of pork coming from Minnesota and other states.  Walz said, "they are shut down because of what can happen if you don't get the social distancing and you don't get things right."  He'd like to see all employees tested at these food-producing plants.  Walz says he's constantly talking to Minnesota-based major manufacturers such as General Mills, Cargill and Land O' Lakes.

 Officials say the Viking Mississippi will cruise the Mississippi River between St. Paul and New Orleans starting in August 2022.  An official statement was released late last week.  The vessel is being constructed in Louisiana right now, but bookings will be open to the general public starting Wednesday.  The Viking Mississippi will have 193 staterooms on five decks, with an infinity pool and several onboard restaurants.  Cruises of eight and 15 days will be offered at prices starting just below 46 hundred dollars.

 Workers at Madison’s Meriter Hospital say their employer should take care of them like they are taking care of their patients during the coronavirus pandemic.  Hundreds of the hospital’s employees have signed a petition which demands paid sick leave and hazard pay.  It also calls for action to be taken by elected officials to deal with the shortage of personal protective equipment.

A Republican candidate for the U-S Senate from Minnesota is objecting to the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.  Jason Lewis wants restrictions on businesses to be reduced.  Lewis says he would have reopened Minnesota businesses to all but the most vulnerable by April 1st.  He says schools should open again by the middle of this month.  Lewis will be running against Democratic incumbent U-S Senator Tina Smith in November.

Minnesota driver’s education classes are being moved online.  The Department of Public Safety is allowing driving schools to use teleconferences and other methods of distance learning to replace classroom instruction for new drivers.  The online instruction will end when the governor’s stay-at-home order is lifted.  For now, behind-the-wheel training is on hold.

An online survey of three thousand people working from home finds Wisconsin workers are drinking on the job.  Thirty-two percent of those surveyed say they’ve consumed alcohol during work hours.  Thirty-two percent is same as the national rate of people drinking on the job.  The drink of choice appears to be beer, 38 percent, followed by cocktails, wine and straight spirits.  Officials at Alcohol-dot-org say men went for beer while women chose cocktails.